1. Field of the Invention
Filter Holding Assembly.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the medical and pharmaceutical fields the rapid and efficient filtering of fluids in volume is a problem of major concern. Frequently viscous solutions, cultures and serums and other fluids must be filtered to remove particulates including bacteria therefrom. Obviously, to filter such fluids within a reasonable length of time a large diameter membrane must be used, and the time for the filtering operation being lessened by the use of either pressure or a vacuum to increase the rate at which filtrate passes through the membrane.
A major object of the present invention is to provide a first filter holding assembly that may be used as such for a single stage filtration operation, or in cooperation with a secured filter holding assembly provide a two stage filtration of a fluid, with the first stage filtration being achieved by the use of a relatively large diameter membrane that removes first particulates above a first predetermined size from the fluid, and the second stage employing a membrane of finer porosity than the first membrane to remove second particulates of less that the first predetermined size from the filtrate that has passed through the first membrane.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a filter holder in which the filter membrane rests on a screen that is supported on a grooved bottom plate that forms a part of a cavity in which the membrane is so disposed as to effectively utilize a greater area of the membrane than possible with prior art filter holders, with the seal around the periphery of the membrane being outwardly from the cavity and effected by a single sealing ring, and the filter holder being sanitary in that there are no internal threads therein nor does the making up of the filter holder into a filtering form require the torquing of nuts.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a filter assembly that has a simple mechanical structure, is simple and easy to use, and one that permits the efficient and rapid filtering of fluids of high viscosity.